No Pier pressure, please!

BalLid Pier Ballaaard Pier Bellard PierThese are versions of pronunciations of the talkedabout address in SoBo that Irsquove been privy to in the past few weeks as the buzz grew louder with news that the Ballard Pier Experience Centre will have a phasewise opening of a shopping and FampB destination in coming months Chuckles aside at the mispronunciation of General JA Ballardrsquos name who for the uninitiated was the first chairman of the Bombay Port Trust this is big news in the cityrsquos quest to explore new places to chillImagine watching a sunset by the sea over artisanal coffee then hopping over for a bigticket gig to blueFrog mdash whose return spells great news for music buffs Once done therersquos the option of sipping a glass of vino at a trippy bar at the same address Too good to be true for the spaceandexperiencestarved city slicker Finally Itrsquos happeningrdquo remarked a cultureheritage observer ldquoLetrsquos hope the neighbouring Ballard Estate is left as it isrdquo he cautioned And in this lies the conundrum While a seafronting multiformat experiential centre comes as a godsend in a city that has an abysmal record as far as showcasing its seaside location goes there could be possible fallout an impact which the neighbouring Ballard Estate might experience given its proximity to where all the action will unfurl Itrsquos quite the turnaround for a site on the edge of the port lands where old Bombay was developed into a maritime nerve centre Ballard Estate was developed and designed by Scottish architect George Wittet from the spoils obtained after constructing the Alexandria Dock Soon it became the nucleus for shipping companies the administrative headquarters of the Mumbai Port Authority was established here Nearby was the Ballard Pier railway station from where passengers would either board or disembark from ships to faroff lands From then to now the character of this wellplanned treelined heritage business district has largely remained a quaint charming neighbourhood especially postsunset when commercial and cultural establishments shut shop Now that identity could perhaps witness a sea of change excuse the punThe spillover effect with the emergence of this Centre is a possibility that requires discussion As enthusiasts throng this new hotbed for weekdayweekend revelry care must be taken to ensure the precinctrsquos original wellpreserved avatar isnrsquot disturbed We hope this precinct with its architectural significance is spared in the crosswinds as the approach route to reach this ubercool Instahappy epicentre of entertainment and dining destinations read traffic snarls litter and hangerson milling on these streets leading up to the address As the new lsquoitrsquo place therersquos plenty that could redefine its avatar Glimpses of this aberration can sometimes be seen at Kala Ghoda on weekends Another thought is about engaging with this new audience about its historicity Several world cities with rich pasts highlight their heritage with frontrowseat importance despite their changing template or modern core appeal Singapore a relatively young island country and citystate is proud of its origins Irrespective of its tag as a tourist and shopping destination you will spot plaques and public reading kiosks informing tourists of their historic waterways called quays for example In older cities like London itrsquos extensively entrenched in the urban ecosystemAt a landmark like St Pancras railway terminus despite its role as an international transport hub and an entertainmentshopping haunt for lakhs of passengers it hasnrsquot compromised on its stunning VictorianGothic character and heritage origins reminding passengers and tourists of its historicityThe brains behind the Ballard Pier Experience Centre could think of creating a visually immersive walkthrough to make visitors aware of the Pierrsquos origins and its connect with erstwhile Bombayrsquos rich maritime ties given this address is within the radius of where it all began It can be a small step to nudge this untapped audience and get them excited about our glorious history before sundowner hour kicks in It could make for an engaging start a winwin Letrsquos hope there are open minds out there who believe that entertainment and awareness can groove on the same dance floormiddayrsquos Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the cityrsquos sights sounds smells and stoneswherever the ink and the inclination takes her She tweets bombayanaSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this column are the individualrsquos and donrsquot represent those of the paper